If you're looking for ideas, I've got a bit of one for you.
Are you familiar with the Eberron setting from D&D? A character I built for a campaign and was tremendously effective was Shirak, Hobgoblin Samurai (we were using Pathfinder rules).
Shirak was a gifted swordsman dedicated to the Emperor, the Lhesh Haruuc, but also to peace. His sword was the last thing to come out. If at all possible, he faced his foes with words, then non-lethally with his katana (stat-wise, he was Order of the Blue Rose, so this was actually beneficial), but when the drek hit the fan, there wasn't much of an issue to switch over to the edge of his blade.
Shirak is tall, well-dressed and groomed. His hair is typically braided and put behind him, either in some form of a top-knot or a pony-tail of braids. His gear is always well-maintained; his armor a combination of typical warrior adornments such as a skull on the shoulder piece and his lamellar is made from leather, bone, and steel.
Let me know if you need more details.
